Grant: Bentley fantastic for Shrimps

Bobby Grant knows what to expect from tonight’s clash after sharing a pitch with the man out to stop Fleetwood’s Checkatrade Trophy charge – Morecambe boss Jim Bentley.

Bentley played for the Shrimps from 2002-2011 before taking over the managerial role at the Globe Arena.

And 27-year-old Grant, who had a four-year spell with Morecambe’s Lancashire rivals Accrington from 2006-2010, joked he was showing his age by revealing he had played against Bentley.

But the midfielder could not hide his admiration for his fellow Liverpudlian as he praised Bentley for his work up the coast.

He said: “I know Jim. I’ve actually played against him when I was at Accy!

“He was a big brute of a centre-half. He could head the ball further than I could kick it and he won’t mind me saying that.

“I think he has done a fantastic job there considering the budget he’s got.

“What he has done for Morecambe has been fantastic but there won’t be any friends when they come here on Tuesday because we will want to beat them.”

Grant has dropped back into a left midfield role in recent weeks after he was left out of the 3-2 win over Bury and benched for the 4-1 defeat at Portsmouth.

Grant said: “I spoke to the manager and that was about getting my match sharpness back.

“We sat down together and went back to some programmes I was doing last year to get me on the pitch and get me to full pace.

“The manager has been fantastic for me. He wants the best for me and the club.

“I have got all the faith in the world in the manager and what he wants me to do.

“I’m fully behind it and if he tells me I need a rest, I need a rest.

“If he tells me I have to do a programme I do it, simple as that.”

Grant’s (left) room-mate Conor McAleny is back training on grass as he bids to bounce back from an ankle injury.

And Grant hopes to be sharing a pitch with him once again. He said: “Conor is a positive lad. If we can get him on the pitch it is great for all of us because he is a player who can make a difference.

“He will be back sooner rather than later and I can’t wait.”

Town head into tonight’s Highbury clash after losing their last two at home against Southend and Charlton.

Grant scored his first of the campaign against the Addicks and said of the goal: “I won’t enjoy that goal because I like winning. If I score the winner I will be the happiest man ever but the main thing is that we haven’t got the result.”

“We need to look at ourselves again.

“We cannot sit here and blame the staff or blame anyone else, the players need to look at themselves.

“I don’t think anyone can point the finger at the manager anyone at all or the staff.

“They prepare us properly, like they did last year, they prepare everything for us and sometimes you need to take responsibility yourself on the pitch.

“You need to man up, when the times are tough you need to grind through it.

“In that game there were periods were we needed to grind through it, unfortunately we never, it will turn round because we will make sure we put it right.”